The use of electrical components in motor vehicles is increasing steadily. As a consequence, a typical motor vehicle includes one or more wiring harnesses, each comprising a multiple branched bundle of current carrying wires routed so as to deliver power to the various components, systems and electrical appliances of the motor vehicle. Often, additional electrically powered components are added to a vehicle after its manufacture, either by a dealer or by a customer. Such components may include sound systems, auxiliary lighting, radio telephones, and in some instances microwave ovens, refrigerators and like appliances.
Installation of such add on electrical components generally requires tapping into the wiring harness of the vehicle. Establishing a connection in this manner can damage the wiring harness, either by breaking of the various current carrying wires, or by breaching the integrity of the harness so as to permit entry of moisture, dirt, oil and grease thereinto. In other instances, connection is inadvertently made to the wrong conductor in the wiring harness. Finally, it is usually difficult to establish a good electrical connection to a discrete conductor in a wiring harness, since that conductor must be isolated, have its insulation stripped therefrom, have the connection established, and have the insulation reestablished; conversely, if a component is removed from the vehicle, termination of the connection can be a problem since a free wire will then be left, which can cause shorting. As will be described in greater detail hereinbelow, the present invention provides a customer access box which may be disposed in a motor vehicle and which isolates the wiring harness from a consumer, but provides a series of tap points at which a reversible electrical connection may easily be made to appropriate portions of the wiring harness.
Multiple pin terminal boards have been used in the telecommunication arts for providing contact to telephone cables; and terminal boards of this type are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,904,936; 3,784,728 and 2,953,625. However, nowhere in the prior art is there shown any type of access box of the type which will be described hereinbelow; furthermore, there is no showing or suggestion of the use of any such box in a vehicular setting.